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Baked on the Bright Side

Move it, Mundane Meals!

September 20, 2012

It is creeping to the end of the week but the excitement of Friday has not hit yet. I know it is about this time every week when I get lazy with what I am eating and the thrill I usually get with cooking turns to more of a hassle or chore. Working long days knowing that I have hours of homework ahead of me makes it even more difficult to get the motivation to make something fun. Pledge with me to make lazy cooking a thing of the past- HELLO THRILLING THURSDAY!

Making meals for one is a lot different to make exciting as opposed to making a meal for nine (which is the size of my family). So, to make a meal exciting for me when I am away at college normally involves a new or rarely used ingredient. Last night I made a Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Dairy-free Pizza. I used a portobella mushroom cap that I seasoned with garlic, basil, and Italian seasoning and roasted in the oven. Then I sauted onions, tomatoes, and basil in a pan on the stove. Once it was all finished and smelling amazing I poured the tomato mixture over the mushroom and broiled it all to crisp it up a bit. This play on pizza was just enough excitement to get me going!

But in all honestly, you can never go wrong with pizza when you need some boost- at least homemade pizza. Grab some Rudi’s Gluten-Free Pizza crust and set up a pizza bar with your family. Have everyone make their own, with a variety of toppings and sauces this will turn cooking from a chore for one person, to an activity for everyone. And on top of it all no one will complain about not getting the pizza they want, happy kids=happy moms. Another great dinner activity is a Taco night, anytime where each person can choose what they want and the meal becomes interactive is a sure way to beat the bores. Luckily, Rudi’s also has a Gluten-Free Tortilla, hang those tortillas over the racks of your oven at 350 to make a flat bottomed taco shell!

To keep things mixed up my friends and I always do dinner on Thursdays, we switch off who hosts every week and it is always a ball. This gives everyone a chance to show off their “chefpertise” and we go to a different house each week. Last week was my turn so I went to the grocery completely unprepared with an hour before my friends arrived. I went straight to the fish mart and checked out the salmon, my favorite meat in the world. After chatting off the ear from the friendly gentleman helping me, he suggested a Moroccan marinade that was his personal fav. Fun Fact: Most of the time the people at the deli and fish counter will have free seasonings premixed and ready to go if you just ask. He gave me a couple packets and sent me on my way. From there I grabbed a spinach and arugula mix, almonds, and feta. The finished product: A baked Moroccan salmon with a spinach and arugula salad and feta quinoa, I think it is safe to say there is nothing boring about that dish at all.

New ingredients, interactive meals, and dinner parties?! There is no excuse for a wimpy cop-out meal on a Thursday again. Keep food fun, don’t let the long week take away the enjoyment of cooking.